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The Holy Spirit, The Great Spirit and The Tao. Spirit
and Distant Healing : Ralph DiOrio and Milton
Erickson.
The reason why religions continue to contribute
to the unrest in the world and the many regional
ethnic and world-wide disputes, political crises and
wars, is that in their buildings, institutions and
teachings they retain all the accrued energies,
thoughts and feelings, good and bad, from thousands of
years and generations of priests and worshippers
practising their rituals. So there are the good
healing energies for those worshipping in the various
buildings, but also all the negativity, prejudices,
hate, exclusion and cruelty against outsiders,
heathens, infidels and gentiles, each religion or sect
often believing they alone are the chosen people.
These negativities can overwhelm the Holy Spirit, or
Divine Light of Love, and prevent it shining. The
advantage of Spiritualism as a new science, philosophy
and religion is that it does not have this past
history of hate and oppression against other peoples
and religions, although it continues to suffer itself
from the same. Like the Bahai’I faith, the
Swedenborgians and the Quakers, it has not oppressed
those of other beliefs, but rather it has accepted
direct contact with spirit in whatever way these other
religions manifest it, knowing that its own practices
are just one aspect of spiritual manifestation. It
does not dispute, but rather, demonstrates the truth.
However, it is not the same situation in reverse.
Spiritualism is maligned by scientists and other
religions almost every day, for different reasons,
material and spiritual. The Roman Catholics in
particular criticize Spiritualism, saying that mediums
only contact recently deceased loved ones or lost
souls and dead doctors or low astral spirits or even
demons, while they, in their services and rituals are
in direct contact with the Holy Spirit, the third part
of the Trinity, and it is THIS that does the healing
in their churches and ministries, and is therefore
more legitimate and effective than the energy of our
spirit doctors.
I would say that the healing energy which is
used by all healers, with or without bringing religion
into the picture, is one and the same. It comes from
the one source – Divine Love, and is conducted through
whatever spirit or human agency is available. This is
why I include the stories of healers from all faiths
and none in this series, without distinction or
division. We all belong to one another, whatever
race, tribe, nation or creed, and our friends the
animals, and even plants, are healed by Divine Love
too, and none of them, who have lived on this planet
for millions or billions of years before we arrived,
none of them have a religion, beyond some domestic
animals being faithful to their owners.
I am trying to show that no one religion is
superior to another, and whether or not the religion
claims to have the most superior and exclusive
connection with the Holy Spirit, Divine Energy, Great
Spirit, God or the Tao – call it what you will – what
is going on in a healing service, distant healing
procedure or prayer ritual for healing is the
awakening of the spirit within the person or persons
being healed, whether this takes place in a small
intimate circle or in a mass meeting of many thousand
people, or at a distance. The mediums, lay healers or
priests are merely intermediaries, some perhaps having
a surplus of physical energy to supplement the
spiritual downpouring. They all have a closer
connection to the world of spirit, whatever they may
call it, and whatever level they contact. This
enables the rest of us, when we are ready, to awaken
our own spirit within. If we are not ready, or the
healing is not meant to happen, it will not take
place. So we try again, until our lessons are
learned, and we achieve a higher level of
understanding, compassion and spirituality.
Now, many of the healers we look at have never
trained as doctors, nurses, healers or priests, while
others have many worldly qualifications. Without
rejecting the importance of training, experience and
qualifications, we have to agree that the power of
Spirit often manifests in the most unusual and
unexpected ways. So, how can we clear away the past
negativities associated with world religions, the bad
energy retained in their buildings and teachings, and
tap into and retain the best, the good, the true
direct loving energy of Divine Spirit? It will have
to an awakening of the love within the consciousness
of each and every living human being over many, many
future generations, requiring much education to tame
the human ego, and its hostility to change and to
foreign and rival theocracies.
With that, we will return to the work of Father
Ralph DiOrio. Like Sister Briege McKenna he has done
much to spread the mission of Divine Healing around
the world, healing hundreds of thousands over the
years. His many books* contain a great number of case
studies showing how spiritual healing works. I
recommend all healers to read them, and compare notes
with their own experiences. I will conclude this
article with a brief review of how Father Ralph
experiences the outpouring of the spiritual healing
energy. [Comments in brackets are my own opinion.
Richard Rowley].
From what he says, it appears that Father
DiOrio often goes into a light trance, and becomes
clairvoyant, clairaudient or clairsentient until the
individual healings take place. In his own words:
“I do not say that I can explain what happens
during my services, but there is no doubt that these
things happen. Anybody who attends can see for
himself. In fact, other people can observe external
things that I miss, for during a Charismatic service,
I am completely out of character. It is not I.
Something is in me. It is not I as a person. There
is a Spirit of God functioning though me. Many people
have seen this. But believe me, it is not I.
Sometimes I do attempt to explain these dynamics to my
congregation at the start of the service.
During the past few years, I’ve noticed that many
people, in their desperate need, fall into the error
of confusing the channel with the Source, the gift
with the Giver. They witness amazing things, and they
assume I have performed them, so they reach out to
touch me.
Please don’t try to touch me; it’s not necessary
at all. When you touch me, you’re not touching
anything. You must touch God alone – not me!
I understand that you do see God in me. There is
definitely no question about this. I’m trying
earnestly to have God touch your lives as He uses me
as His clear channel.
At other times, as the need arises, I may attempt
to clarify another aspect of the dynamic of Healing.
As I walk among you, some of you will feel
electricity going through you right out of my body.
Heat. A jolt of lightning, so to speak. I don’t know
how God does it. Curvatures of the spine will begin
straightening out. Bent legs will begin to
straighten. We will probably see shortened legs begin
to grow. These are the ailments which seem to be
healed in every service. Other ailments – cancers (by
shrinking and disappearance of tumours), blindness,
or paralysis, for example, (and coronary conditions –
by the opening up of arteries around the heart) seem
to be healed in clusters.
Another phenomenon which continuously and
constantly occurs during our services is the ‘slaying
in the spirit,’ [where the persons seems to be struck
down, faints or falls over]….…What is happening when
someone falls down or enters a standing ecstasy is a
phenomenon of God’s presence called the ‘slaying in
the spirit,’ or the overpowering of the spirit. The
resting in the Lord. The Lord usually likes to pass
through people; it’s a ‘spirit of prayer.’ The saints
used to experience this type of prayer; it’s called
‘ecstatic union.’ They were just lost in God. Their
bodies, with their external senses, became suspended,
and they would just float in the Lord. [This is well
known to Spiritualists – levitation is also quite
common among Indian mystics and yogis, as well as with
the saints of old such as Thomas Aquinas]. You have
no control. So if I come up to someone and you see
him fall, don’t get upset.
I will call some of you, or come to you myself.
If you call me to come to you, the Lord might bring me
to you, but generally I don’t know whom I’m going to
go to. The Lord will just tell me to go up to a
person, and I just hold up my hand, maybe touch his
forehead, and he is healed. So let the Spirit lead me
where It will because I myself don’t know where He is
going to lead me; this is one facet of the phenomenon
know as the ‘word of knowledge.’
There is no set pattern for what will happen here
today. Under the influence of what is known as ‘the
anointing,’ there is no prescribed form or ritual
required. God’s clear channel must be in total
surrender to the Will of God – it is God speaking,
walking, healing.
It has often been recorded in photographs, and
perceived by myself and others, that during our
Healing Services, my own soul appears to have
surrendered itself to another Spirit, a Spirit
functioning through me which causes me to be totally
out of my own natural character…. [and perhaps out of
his body! It is quite obvious from this statement that
Father DiOrio has a spirit doctor, or team of doctors,
working with him, though probably his religion would
not allow him to admit it!]. You will see this
yourselves. It will clearly demonstrate the absolute
difference between myself, the man, beneath the gift,
and God, the Giver of the gift. Remember, I am not
the Healer.
Another thing you’re probably going to see is how
I receive signals from the Lord. I will receive
pictures in my mind or [experience] pains in my body
which signify a healing [of that condition] for
someone. That’s the way the Lord works with me. Each
of us is different. I might have the ‘word of
knowledge’ of Healing. Then I can actually pinpoint
exactly what [clothes] you’re wearing [to identify
you] and the exact sickness.
But please note – this process by which God works
through me should not be imitated by other persons.
Such an attempt would be futile, for one person cannot
simply copy a gift that is distinctive to another
person. Also, such superficial copying would probably
be harmful to the persons in need of healing and
detrimental to [the healing process]. Charisms are
powerful forces originating from the Creator of all
energy, and they are not to be trifled with.
…… Some people attend our services out of
curiosity, tantalizing themselves with the
unanswerable questions, ‘How does he do it? What’s
happening here?’ [Father DiOrio goes on to say that
even skeptical journalists and doctors are eventually
convinced and accept that something supernormal is
happening when cures in ‘terminal’ cases occur, and
now there is much cooperation between all concerned.]
Most of our services are intense, sometimes
unbelievably so. The unpredictable manner and timing
in which the Word of Knowledge comes to me is another
example of the spontaneous nature of the healing
services. I never know when the Word will come, but
when it does, I immediately announce or “call it”
publicly.
Usually the earliest indication of a specific
healing comes to me by way of an empathetic pain –
where I feel a pain in my own body is the area in
which someone is receiving a Healing. During a
service, I might sound something like this:
“I’m feeling a pain. A healing is taking place
in someone’s knees at this moment. Someone who has
had much physical pain. In a few moments that person
– you know who you are – should jump up and say, ‘Me!
It’s me! I’m healed!’
“A blocked ear passage is opening, or is about
to. And someone who has been deaf as the result of a
severe infection, that problem too is beginning to
clear up. And someone wearing a neck brace is also
being cured at this moment.
…. ‘The proper response to your healing is like
picking up something you ordered – you must claim it!
Claim your healing. Don’t be afraid to identify
yourselves. Let God know you are not embarrassed by
His Grace.”
The ‘spirit’ can work ‘intelligently’ to heal
every type of physical, emotional and mental ailment:
brain tumor, arthritis, mental disorders, cancer,
leukemia, or broken legs. The ultimate purpose of
healing in those who are healed is the spiritual
awakening, a profound change in the innermost being.”
While I am teaching and worshipping, I am under
the anointing of the Holy Spirit and experience
various healing insights. Sometimes I will call out
a general healing of the eyes or ears and I will ask
those in need to stand, and I will lead the
congregation in prayer. Afterward, everyone who has
been healed is asked to come forward and claim the
healing.
At other times during a session I will get a
feeling that someone in a particular area has a
specific need. I also experience the ‘Word of
Knowledge,’ and call out a person with a certain name,
color of clothing, or disease. I am led by the Holy
Spirit to identify exactly the illness, need, person,
or a combination of these. Frequently I call these
people to me and pray over them. A person does not
need to be called out or touched by me to be healed.
Often, however, I will walk among the people and
anoint them with blessed oil or bless them with holy
water. Depending on the size of the crowd and the
time at hand, I may bless every person individually or
bless the masses by sprinkling, using the holy water
as a point of contact.”
These excerpts selected and reviewed from books by
Ralph A. DiOrio:
· “The Man Beneath the Gift” (co-authored with Donald
Gropman). William Morrow, N.Y. 1981.
· “Called to Heal.” Doubleday, N.Y. 1982.
· “Miracles to Proclaim.” Doubleday, N.Y. 1984.
· “Signs and Wonders.” Doubleday, N.Y. 1987.
· “Healing Love.” Doubleday, N.Y. 1988.
Lay healers like William Gray of California (Ruth
Montgomery’s “Mr. A.”), Harry Edwards and Tom
Pilgrim had exactly the same type of healing energy as
that displayed by the three Catholic healers reviewed
here recently, Brother André, Sister Briege McKenna
and Father Ralph DiOrio.
Another type of healer uses suggestion or
hypnosis to cure illness, such as psychiatrists Brian
L. Weiss, and from 6o or 70 years ago, Milton
Erickson. Erickson really used a form of reframing
which later turned up in Neuro-Linguistic Programming.
Nothing is new under the sun! It’s all been done
before. So don’t try to claim to be too original! The
healing is effected by merely suggesting to patients
that they have the healing energy within themselves
all the time. We are all capable of healing
ourselves, within reason, if we are willing to accept
what we find. Many will not accept past situations
and ties and entanglements, sometimes from previous
lives, and other fears and hates and phobias within
themselves, and so are not ready to heal. Which
explains why even the most powerful of healers cannot
cure everybody all the time.
Milton Erickson would listen to his patients’
complaints, then put them into a light trance and
offer stories and suggestions to replace the rut or
grove in their thinking and feeling, distracting them
away from harping on illness and symptoms and
negativity, replacing it all with a new vision,
attitude, practice or behaviour. Very often the new
outlook and attitude effected remarkable cures. It is
also quite obvious that Erickson had a wonderful sense
of humour, which he used in a kind way, and not to
hurt the patient. Here are a couple of his case
histories to illustrate the technique. The text of
Erickson’s story is given, (which when delivered was
spoken with a gentle hypnotic rhythmic roll),
followed by comments from Dr. Sidney Rosen, reviewed
from his book “My Voice Will Go With You: Teaching
Tales of Milton H. Erickson.” W.W. Norton and Company
Inc., New York. 1982.
Erickson: “I had a nurse come in. I had known
her slightly. She was one of those know-it-all
nurses. She’s been discharged from hospital after
hospital because she told the doctors what to do. She
told them the diagnosis and the treatment.
And she came in and said that she had globus
hystericus, a lump in her throat, and it was very
distressing. I had her describe the distress. And
she described the pain. I reached my own conclusions
and said, “You do not have globus hystericus. You
have an ulcer of the stomach, at the duodenal end.:
She said, “Don’t be ridiculous.”
I said, “I’m not, you are.”
She said, ‘I’ll prove to you I don’t have a
stomach ulcer.’ She went to three different
radiologists, all of whom confirmed my diagnosis. And
she came back very angry and said, “You’re right. I
saw the X-rays myself and they all agreed. What are
you going to advise me to do?”
I said, “You’re Armenian. You like spicy food
You have a sister who calls you up every day and has a
long telephone conversation with you. You have a
niece who calls you up every day, has a long telephone
conversation. Hang up on your sister and your niece.
They both give you a pain in your stomach. And enjoy
your food.”
A month later she got new X-rays from all three
radiologists. No trace of an ulcer. And that was all
the recommendation, “Enjoy your food, hang up on your
sister and your niece.”
Her favorite expression was “I can’t swallow
this. I can’t swallow that.” That’s why she reached
the diagnosis of globus hystericus. Her description
of the pain indicated it must be a duodenal ulcer.
But she knew I was wrong. Three independent
radiologists convinced her I was right.”
Comments: Oddly enough, this “know-it-all” nurse
who was so bossy with doctors could not be assertive
with her own sister and niece. Erickson sets an
example of assertiveness with his own attitude. In
fact, in this story he appears to be approaching
arrogance as he assumes the “know-it-all” posture.
However, he apparently felt that he had to do this in
order to persuade this woman to take direction. It
was important for him to know that she would follow
his suggestion and actually hang up on her sister and
her niece. .
___________________________
Erickson: “A man from Philadelphia, whose
headaches I cured, sent his aunt and uncle out to see
me. He said, “Those two have quarreled every day of
their married life. They’ve been married over thirty
years.”
They came out to see me. I said, “Haven’t you
had enough of quarreling?” Why not start enjoying
life?” And they had a very pleasant life. And the
man’s aunt tried to persuade her sister to come out,
because his mother was very unhappy.”
Comments: In this story, Erickson, in the
indirect manner that is typical of him, is answering
critics who ask about follow-up on his patients. He
makes it clear that the headache cure was effective by
telling us that “the man from Philadelphia” sent his
aunt and uncle to see him. It is also obvious that
their situation was improved since the aunt felt
Erickson could help her sister. Erickson often begins
a case report with reference to a previous patient who
was treated successfully.
This story might be told by Erickson when someone
in the group was arguing inwardly with him or with
himself. He marks the phrase “Haven’t you had enough
of quarreling?”
The story may be difficult to believe. I present
it, however, because its simplicity is so appealing.
I asked Erickson to tell us more about the
context in which these simple suggestions had been
given. How much time had he spent in establishing
rapport? Did he hypnotize the couple?
He said, “I just used a waking trance which
developed into a light trance. I asked them, ‘But why
not enjoy life? You’ve had over thirty years of
quarreling. I think marriage should be enjoyable.
And you haven’t too many years left to enjoy
marriage.’ And they were appreciative.
“Too many therapists think that they must direct
the change and help the patient to change. Therapy is
like starting a snowball rolling at the top of a
mountain. As it rolls down, it grows larger and
larger and becomes an avalanche that fits the shape of
the mountain.” [To be continued]
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